Community Service

Joining with your colleagues and giving just a few hours of your time can make a big difference to neighbors in need. Volunteering also is good for your health! Research shows that getting active with your community and building a support network offers a break from everyday stress.

In coordination with the Dentist Health and Wellness Committee, the Massachusetts Dental Society arranged several volunteer opportunities for members seeking ways to give back to their communities during the holiday season. Be on the lookout for future volunteer opportunities with the MDS.

If your office, dental school, or community health center participates in a service event, we encourage you to share the details with the MDS and tag us on social media.

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts (Hatfield, MA)

MDS members volunteered at the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts in Hatfield on December 1. The Food Bank distributes food to its member agencies in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties. These independent pantries, meal sites, and shelters are on the front lines of emergency food assistance in the region, playing a crucial role helping individuals, families, seniors, and children.

The MDS volunteers helped weigh, sort, and package fresh produce for the hungry. While there, the group also learned about the serious issue of food insecurity that plagues local communities. In total, MDS volunteers helped prepare more than 2,800 pounds of produce for distribution to food pantries throughout the region.

Rosie's Place - December 8 (Boston)

MDS members volunteered at Rosie’s Place in Boston on December 8. Rosie’s Place is a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston’s South End. Its mission is to provide a safe and nurturing environment that helps poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity, and find security in their lives.

The MDS members cooked and served lunch for women and children in the Rosie’s Place dining room, and they helped clean up after the meal.

Toys for Tots (Worcester, MA)

MDS members volunteered with the Toys for Tots Campaign by sorting toys at a warehouse in Worcester on December 8. The mission of the Worcester Toys for Tots 2018 Campaign is to collect and distribute new toys as Christmas gifts to those children less fortunate in Worcester County. For the last 70 years, the United States Marine Corps has distributed more than 542 million toys to at least 250 million children. This success stems from great partners, sponsors, and volunteers that help raise funds and toy donations.

Rosie's Place - December 15 (Boston)

MDS members volunteered at Rosie’s Place in Boston on December 15. Rosie’s Place is a sanctuary for poor and homeless women located in Boston’s South End. Its mission is to provide a safe and nurturing environment that helps poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity, and find security in their lives.

The MDS members cooked and served lunch for women and children in the Rosie’s Place dining room, and they helped clean up after the meal.

You can still get involved in doing good in your community! Create your own service project through the MDS Foundation's Ambassador Grant Program - you get to choose the date and type of event and the MDS Foundation will provide you with funding.